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After years of drafting computer diagrams and architectural schematics, South Jeffco resident Bonnie Warner wanted a bit more color in her life.

So Warner dove into the crafty subculture of stamping, a do-it-yourself art combining media such as ink, fabric, colored pencils and paint thinner to create cards, books and virtually anything that can reside on paper.

And for 15 years, Warner, 46, who in October opened a local stamping emporium, has been a recognized name in the stamping world, traveling a multi-state circuit of 12 annual events.

Demand for food assistance in Jefferson County rose by more than 45 percent in 2010.

Last year, the county received 18,281 food-stamp applications, up from 12,567 in 2009 and 7,925 in 2008.

Similarly, Medicaid applications and child welfare calls to the county hotline increased by nearly 7 percent, though demand for other human services programs fluctuated less dramatically. The county received 9,141 Medicaid applications last year, compared to 8,527 in 2009.

Winter weather finally landed in South Jeffco on Thursday, during a season that has been dominated by unusually warm and dry conditions.
As heavy snow began falling by late morning, residents formed queues at hardware and tire stores, stocking up on winter necessities.

An old Chinese proverb says, “May you live in interesting times.” And 2010 was an interesting year for South Jeffco.

From an eleventh-hour sparing of Ken Caryl Middle School to an ongoing legal battle between Jefferson County and a marijuana dispensary, a few stories stand out in a year filled with a mix of hard news and unusual events.

A pack of cold noses provided warm holiday cheer at a school for developmentally disabled students Dec. 22, when Foothills Animal Shelter brought a few gregarious pooches to Laradon Hall.

As part of a new partnership between the two entities, a group of Laradon’s students work five-day shifts at the shelter, acquiring custodial training and learning to take pride in a hard day’s work. And the shelter, which operates on donations and government allocations, is able to keep its new facility tidier than its budget would normally allow.

SOUTH JEFFCO — A local man headed home from a night of drinking at a Denver bar was reportedly well aware he took in a bit too much holiday cheer. After driving erratically on Dec. 16, the driver was pulled over by a deputy, to whom he reportedly said, “I’m so screwed.” To no one’s surprise, the man did not ace his roadside maneuvers, and he was taken to detox.

Boulder officials accepted a $5 million carrot from Jefferson County on Dec. 21 and will abandon decades-old resistance to the proposed Jefferson Parkway in exchange for the contribution toward purchasing 640 acres of open space.

Both the Boulder City Council and the Boulder County commissioners unanimously passed resolutions officially dropping their objections to the toll road, which would complete the metro-area beltway.

Forgoing a new computer system, holding on to aging patrol cars longer and saving money on postage are among actions by Jefferson County departments in the face of nearly $30 million in budget cuts. And despite such reductions in the county’s $477 million 2011 budget, passed Dec. 7, the public is unlikely to notice a difference in county services, officials said.